


English lesson.

by Adlez27



Series: KLADverse [1]
Category: Vocaloid
Genre: Gen, ice mountain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-29
Updated: 2017-06-29
Packaged: 2018-11-20 22:10:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11344098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adlez27/pseuds/Adlez27
Summary: Haruto, who spent most of his life growing up in the United States, has been helping Kiyoteru improve his English.  They mull over Gatsby before launching into a rather weird conversation.





	English lesson.

**Author's Note:**

> 「その本を読みましたか？」Did you read that book?  
> 「ええ」Yeah.  
> 「話し合いましょう」Let's discuss it.
> 
> This takes place sometime between 2009 and 2017 in the KLADverse master timeline.

The students had gone home from school at 3pm, and the teachers and staff some time after that. Kiyoteru went to the back room, and Haruto followed.  
In the back room, Kiyoteru took a plastic table out of the closet, and unfolded the legs. He sat on the floor at one side, and Haruto at the other side. A book was placed on the table.  
「その本を読みましたか？」Haruto asked.  
「ええ」Kiyoteru answered.  
「話し合いましょう」Haruto said. "So, what did you think of the main character?"  
"He doesn't seem to understand reality very well," Kiyoteru pondered. "He's trying to remake an old dream, even though the world around him already changed."  
"Don't you think he's a symbol?" Haruto suggested. "Or, rather, it's all symbols."  
"A symbol of what?" Kiyoteru asked. He had taken the book literally the whole way through, a funny little story about an old time period.  
"The American dream. He started out dirt-poor, and worked his way all the way up to wealth and fame," Haruto continued.  
"But he died in the end," Kiyoteru added. He thought, if the symbol of aspirations was killed, there's no point in having hope or goals.  
"Yeah, that's kind of the harsh truth. Even if you work hard, the lucky people who were born with an advantage still win."  
Kiyoteru stared at the cover of the book in his hands. Out of that deep blue, a face stared back. "That's depressing," he commented. "Anyway, what's the reason for reading this?"  
"Well, my teacher made me read in high school," Haruto said with a shrug. "This is also part of an English class."  
"It's not what I signed up for," Kiyoteru joked.  
"Yeah, nobody really liked reading all those books," Haruto added.

The air went silent for a pregnant moment.  
"You know…" Haruto started. "Making a deal with the devil isn't that bad."  
"Sorry, what?" Kiyoteru asked, bewildered.  
"Making a contract with a demon from hell can be good," Haruto rephrased, hoping Kiyoteru would understand him better.  
"No, I understood the first time. Why is that?" Kiyoteru said.  
"All my health problems are completely gone, and I even have supernatural abilities," Haruto explained.  
"Bullshit," Kiyoteru called. He held back a snicker- he was always proud of finding good moments to swear. Speaking casually felt great.  
"No, it's true. I used to have terrible vision because I'm albino, but it's all crystal clear now," Haruto elaborated.  
"I wasn't aware of your health problems," Kiyoteru said. "Aren't demons evil?"  
"I made the deal before I met you," Haruto pointed out. "And no, he didn't play any tricks on me or take my whole soul. There was a detailed contract about the exact terms of the deal."  
Kiyoteru decided that this story was fictional, and played along. "What were the terms, then?" he asked.  
"To gain supernatural perception of the true nature of people, I gave up my ability to love," Haruto answered.

"Give me an example," Kiyoteru requested.  
"I can tell that the art teacher doesn't actually like anyone, and acts polite just to keep her job. The only one she has eyes for is the principal," Haruto set forth.  
"I also heard that rumor. Give me something better," Kiyoteru challenged.  
"Natsuki is really insecure about his cute appearance, which is such a shame," Haruto started.  
"That's obvious to me-" Kiyoteru began to retort.  
"He acts hyper-manly whenever he can, and outside of work he pretends he isn't interested in making cakes and pastries at all," Haruto continued.  
"I can see that," Kiyoteru interjected.  
"Of course, he has a passion for baking. He's skilled, of course, from taking classes, but it wasn't a passion he chose for himself. Really, he has no sense of personal identity at all," Haruto finished.  
"And when did you find this all out?" Kiyoteru asked.  
"The moment I walked into the bakery and made eye contact with him," Haruto answered confidently.  
"Well, okay. Explain everything about me, then," Kiyoteru offered.  
"No can do," Haruto refused.  
"You mean, you can't do it?" Kiyoteru tried to correct him.  
"Oh, 'no can do' is an English phrase, so it isn't wrong," Haruto explained.  
"Where did it come from?"  
"I don't know. Anyway, you're different from other people, so I can't do the same for you. But I can tell you all about how Akito's closet bisexuality has affected his relationship with yo-"

Kiyoteru cut him off. "Didn't you say that you can't love? But you're so passionate about teaching." Hah, loophole!  
"I'm the same as Natsuki," Haruto explained. "I work hard at teaching because it's what I'm best at. I used to have personal passion, but after I made the deal, it went away."  
"And you're also a womanizer with no consideration for her feelings," Kiyoteru concluded, from his observations of Haruto's behavior.  
"I can still understand love in other people, idiot. I just can't love them back." Haruto snapped. "At worst, my relationship with my family is strained."  
To Kiyoteru, the idea of a deal with a demon is just an excuse. It seemed like Haruto was good at getting people to trust him, and learning what they're really like, but not good at reciprocating the respect. As for his vision? Must be surgery. Kiyoteru had no idea why Haruto would make up a story like this, other than to engage in one of the weirdest discussions they've ever had while practicing English.

"So, why don't you look at me and tell me what I'm really like on the inside?" Kiyoteru asked, mockingly.  
"You… are very difficult to read," Haruto said with great hesitation. Seemed like he was lying.  
"At least make a guess. I'm not very complicated, you know."  
「あっ、もう六時半だ」Haruto said, looking at his fancy watch.「一緒に晩御飯を食べませんか？」  
「大丈夫よ」Kiyoteru said, in a way of refusal.  
「じゃあ、また明日。」Haruto stood up and left the back room.  
With that, Kiyoteru filled his electric kettle with water, and took another packet of instant noodles out of his cupboard.

**Author's Note:**

> 「あっ、もう六時半だ」Oh, it's already half past six.  
> 「一緒に晩御飯を食べませんか？」Shall we eat dinner together?  
> 「大丈夫よ」It's okay.  
> 「じゃあ、また明日。」Well, see you tomorrow.
> 
> Yes, Haruto made a contract with the same Alejandro Xyzzy from FMFIS. I wanted an excuse to bring up his powers, lol. Due to Kiyoteru being the central character of KLADverse and all of the related AUs, Haruto perceives every single Kiyoteru at once if he tries to look at his true nature. It's terrifying.


End file.
